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Category Archives: David McDonough

Assemblyman Dave McDonough announced that he is once again participating in the 7th Annual Legislative Pet Food Drive Challenge to be held from February 12th through April 30th. McDonough said he is honored to host this event once again as animals bring a lot of joy and companionship to people’s lives.

“I have enjoyed hosting this event in collaboration with Long Island Cares and Baxter’s Pet Pantry in the past, and now I look forward to our efforts this year,” McDonough said. “Pets bring a tremendous amount of companionship and comfort to the elderly and those who live alone and they can also serve as friends for young children. I encourage members of the community to stop by and make a donation this winter. Even a small donation can mean the difference between a pet going hungry or possibly going to a shelter.”

Regrettably, SNAP funding does not include the purchase of pet food, which makes it one of the greatest demands, besides food, at local food pantries.

The best sizes of pet food to donate are five or 10 pound bags of dog or cat food. Canned food, kitty litter and new pet toys are also in demand. Donations will be accepted at McDonough’s district office at 404 Bedford Avenue in Bellmore from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. More information can be found at their Web site.

Assemblyman Dave McDonough hosted an event to honor local women who have made tremendous contributions to their community in the fields of volunteerism, education, military service, community and civic affairs, government, healthcare, business and humanitarian efforts. The 2017 Women of Distinction ceremony took place at the Merrick Library in Merrick with McDonough awarding an official Assembly Citation to each woman who was selected.

“This is a wonderful event that allows me to give back to those women who have dedicated their lives to making our community a better place to live, work and raise a family,” McDonough said. “I hear so many tremendous and heartwarming stories year after year through this event that allow me to appreciate the selfless and dedicated individuals we have here on Long Island. It was my pleasure to honor these 13 women and I am pleased to know our community is filled with such great people.”

Assemblyman Dave McDonough announced today that he has partnered with Long Island Cares, Inc. and the Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank to collect emergency supplies for those struggling to survive in Puerto Rico. Those willing to provide a donation can drop off supplies at Assemblyman McDonough’s District Office at 404 Bedford Ave. in Bellmore between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Unlike areas in Houston and Florida which are less isolated and backed up by federal and state government emergency response agencies like FEMA and others, two successive hurricane both dealt the most devastating impact in Puerto Rico and recovery efforts will be ongoing for years. Over 90 percent of the country is without power, infrastructure and many homes have been widely leveled and many residents are without clean clothes or water. Some experts are predicting it will be a decade before the territory fully recovers.

“The situation in Puerto Rico is heartbreaking,” McDonough said. “Many of us cannot imagine the conditions our fellow citizens are experiencing; not knowing where their next clean glass of water is coming from or where is a safe place to spend the night. Unlike Florida and Texas which were also hard hit but have better access to government agencies and funding to help them recover, Puerto Rico’s unstable economy means these devastating conditions may persist for several years. I know my fellow Long Islanders are compassionate and helpful people and I urge everyone who has the means to consider joining me in donating to help our fellow American citizens.”

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) is raising awareness of the startling amount of dangerous driving in school zones and around school buses. According to one study conducted by the New York Association for Pupil Transportation this past spring, there are an estimated 55,000 illegal passing of school buses per month statewide, which is more than a 48 percent increase in a five month period.

The DMV reports that there were over 47,000 tickets issued for speeding in a school zone and a fatality occurred right here in Nassau County from reckless driving. With over 90 other accidents involving injuries within a school zone, it is past time for stricter measures to be taken to protect our children.

“Too many drivers have a passive attitude when it comes to stopping for school buses and slowing down in school zones which can produce deadly consequences,” McDonough said, “Obeying traffic laws and remembering to be careful around schools and school buses is very important and I am calling on all my neighbors to be more aware of their surroundings and obey these important traffic laws that keep our children safe. The safety of our school zones and buses is all of our responsibility and I for one will do everything in my power to make sure they’re safe this school year.”

As the Chairman of the Assembly Minority Task Force on Public Safety and Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, McDonough has spearheaded such initiatives as traffic cameras and stricter reporting requirements for abuse in schools.

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) pictured outside King Kullen grocery store Saturday where he and volunteers collected over 1,555 pounds of food for local families.

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R, C, I-Merrick) is pleased to announce the success of his food drive this past weekend which collected over 1,555 pounds of food. The drive was held at the King Kullen in Bellmore on Aug. 5 and was sponsored by Long Island Cares.

“No one should have to worry about where their family’s next meal will come from,” said McDonough. “It is important that we pay it forward and help out those who are less fortunate. Not only is this helping out families in need on Long Island, but this is also a great opportunity to teach younger generations what is means to help out your neighbor. I look forward to working with Long Island Cares again in the future to raise even more food to help out even more families.”

“During a time when food drive donations are historically low, The Summer Food Drive to End Hunger serves as a significant tool in meeting our vision of a hunger-free Long Island. This series of food drives helps us to put more food on the tables of our friends and neighbors facing food insecurity. The food drive sponsored by Assemblyman McDonough on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 resulted in an unprecedented 1,555 pounds of food for the needy. We are very grateful to Assemblyman McDonough for his participation and recognizing the truth of hunger on Long Island, and for his decision to stand and act on behalf of those in need,” said William Gonyou, Community Events and Food Drive Manager of Long Island Cares.

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick), along with Long Island Blood Services, will be hosting a Blood Drive on Wednesday, August 16 at the Merrick Road Golf Clubhouse between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. There is a blood shortage at this time of year and hospitals are in dire need of additional donations. Volunteering to give blood can save a life and keep our community safe and healthy.

“I host these blood drives every year to help keep as many of our citizens as healthy and safe as possible,” McDonough said, “A single pint of blood can save a life, and by donating you’ll be saving potentially someone’s family member, someone’s friend, someone’s neighbor. It cannot be stressed enough how important these types of drives are to our community and our families. I urge everyone to consider making an appointment and volunteering to donate on August 16 to help save as many local lives as we can.”

McDonough has held an annual blood drive for many years and reminds those who want to volunteer to bring a valid ID and remember their Social Security Number. Along with being over 110lbs, donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission), eat well, drink water prior to the appointment and not have received a tattoo within the past 12 months (unless applied in New Jersey).

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) announced today that in association with the John Theissen Children’s Foundation, he is seeking donations of school supplies for the 2017-18 school year, which will then be distributed to underprivileged children from low-income families.

“The John Theissen Children’s Foundation has been conducting a ‘Back to School Program’ for many years. Back to school time can be extremely difficult for many children whose families cannot afford new clothes or school supplies. With your donation, you can make a child feel good about themselves and look forward to attending school,” said McDonough. “It has been my privilege to be able to participate in this program for the last twelve years.”

Donations being sought include, but are not limited to, backpacks, spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, markers and other classroom necessities. In addition, the Foundation, through monetary donations, also provides new clothing for children to wear.

The collection runs now through September 1 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily. Items may be dropped off at McDonough’s District Office at 404 Bedford Avenue in Bellmore. For further information, please contact McDonough by calling (516) 409-2070 or via e-mail at mcdonoughd@nyassembly.gov. In addition, you can contact the John Theissen Children’s Foundation by calling (516) 679-5098, or by visiting its website.

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I -Merrick) is happy to announce his support for Independent Retailer Month during the month of July. As a long-standing proponent of small businesses and the past President of the Nassau County Council of Chambers of Commerce, McDonough invites all members of the community to focus on buying local not only now but all year round and this month is a perfect opportunity to start helping our neighbors across Nassau County.

“It’s my pleasure to invite all my friends and neighbors to buy local during Independent Retailer Month and also year-round,” McDonough said. “The importance of our local businesses cannot be understated and this month is a great opportunity to both support them and show our dedication to a strong and vibrant community. Being dedicated to local businesses isn’t just about shopping at locally-owned stores; it’s about local jobs which help our communities grow. A stronger local economy means a better quality product and more money in your pocket and your neighbors too.”

Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) is fighting for legislation, of which he is a co-sponsor, that would require private school administrators to disclose any allegations of child abuse that occur in an educational setting. Assembly Bill 5371 was unanimously reported out of the Assembly Education Committee this week.

As the original author in 2016, McDonough has co-sponsored the current bill and is working with legislative leaders to get it passed before the end of session. McDonough believes there is a good chance of the legislation passing the Assembly this year.

“It takes a lot of courage for an abused child to speak out, especially when the abuser is someone in an educational setting which is supposed to be a safe space,” said McDonough. “We teach our children to always tell the truth and to ask for help when they are unsure of what to do; this is why we must take all accusations seriously. Though sending your child to a private school is a personal choice, that doesn’t mean that child doesn’t deserve the same protection as those who attend public school. I am proud to be an originator of this bill and hope we can move forward to include private schools in the reporting requirements when it comes to child abuse in an educational setting.”

Following a string of corruption-laden economic development programs in recent years, Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) is pushing legislation in the waning weeks of session that would provide tremendous auditing power to Comptroller DiNapoli as well as require strict reporting requirements and transparency when it comes to the state’s economic development programs like START-UP NY and the Buffalo Billion.

At a press conference held by Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I,Ref-Canandaigua), a large number of Assembly Minority gathered to shed light on the abysmal results and seemingly dirty system by which Gov. Cuomo doles out state contracts and gives tax breaks to businesses through these programs, which have been cornerstones of his administration.

“This is like lighting millions of our families’ hard-earned tax dollars on fire, but only after they are filtered through the hands of criminals like Joe Percoco and Alain Kaloyeros,” McDonough said. “State leaders secretly removed job and performance reporting requirements for some of these programs during the budget, which allows them to bury their abysmal records from public scrutiny. For an administration which originally campaigned on transparency and openness, this administration has run in the opposite direction and that is unacceptable. The public deserves to know where and how their tax dollars are being spent, and I am hopeful we can bring this bill to the floor before session adjourns in a couple of weeks.”